Ballyshannon Folk Festival Remembering The Early Years and Still Going Strong

Barry Britton's iconic poster from 1987

Saturday 4th April 2020. Read about the early days of Ballyshannon Folk Festival,  marquees, top class acts, open air events and take a trip down memory lane with photographs of early days and modern times. Ballyshannon Folk Festival probably  the longest running Folk Festival in the country has a very proud record and helped put Ballyshannon on the map for the past  42 years. Well done to all. Please share.
Sunday 5th April 2020. Tomorrow's blog has the story of one of the most unusual horseraces ever in Ballyshannon and in Ireland. Read about horseracing and more at Falgarragh race course ( now the location of St. Benildus Avenue)

How Ballyshannon Folk Festival Began 

There are many strands to the music tradition in Ballyshannon and, for 42 years, Ballyshannon Folk Festival has attracted musicians and visitors to the town during the August Bank Holiday. The festival has outlived similar events in Ireland and this is due, in no small measure, to the voluntary input of all who give freely of their time and talents in co-ordinating what is a major event in the town. The Festival has also survived because it had clear objectives, namely, to foster and promote musical traditions and to attract visitors to Ballyshannon and the North West.

The presence over the years of many continental visitors, who were attracted by their love of Irish music has helped to promote the region. Most of the household names on the Irish scene have appeared at the Festival: Christy Moore, Clannad, De Dannan, Altan, The Furey Brothers and Davy Arthur, Andy Irvine, Dolores Keane, Mary Black, Charlie Mc Gettigan, Davy Spillane, Stockton’s Wings, Sharon Shannon, Kieran Goss, Liam Óg ÓFlynn, Dervish and the list is endless.

The festival had its roots in a Fleadh Cheoil held in Ballyshannon in 1977 and, due to the popularity of that event, a number of people who had been involved decided to organise a Folk and Traditional Music Festival in 1978. The first committee were: Kevin Mc Daid (Chairperson), Philip Mulligan (Secretary), Pat Mc Gee ((Treasurer), John Bromley, Marie Bromley, Raymond Mc Daid, Bernie Finn, Louis Culkin, Patsy Herron, Vincent Mulligan, Mick Mc Grath, Sean Ferguson, Benny Dorrian, Jim Mc Intyre, Sean Óg Kane, Brendan Mc Gill, Herman Mc Neilis and Eileen Hoey.

The sight of tents pitched in the Fr. Tierney Park area, The Fair Green and the Brothers’ Field was to be a regular happening for many years. In the Market Yard the marquee was the focus for the concerts until the move in recent years to the Abbey Centre. In the past few years the familiar marquee tent has made its appearance once again in the Market Yard.

Street theatre and music events brought a richness of colour to the town, and many young locals would have derived their musical inspiration, from participating in these fringe events. No doubt the festival has been an important event for local people, living away from the town, who returned for the music and to meet friends and renew acquaintances. The posters advertising the Folk Festival have become collector’s items and their artistic merit is regularly admired by locals and visitors alike. Barry Britton, a talented artist from Rossnowlagh, has interpreted the history of Ballyshannon and its folk festival in his posters which has given the Folk Festival an image which any marketing company would be proud to claim. 

The numbers of people involved in organizing this voluntary festival over the years must run to hundreds but the following, along with those previously named, were the chief officers from 1978-2007 : Phonsie Travers, Anthony Travers, Ray Gaughan, Brendan O’ Reilly, Jim Mc Intyre, Herman Mc Nelis, Gerry Whelan, Kate Grehan, Carmel Merrifield, Margaret Gallagher, Fidelma Gaughan, John Meehan, Sean Staunton, Vincent Mc Nally, Carmel Doyle, Michael Mc Corry, Barney Mc Laughlin, James Kelly, Pauric Bromley, Billy Grimes, Danny Carron and Mick Mc Grath.

(Sean Staunton's Folk Festival history)  

Twas in the town of Ballyshannon I first ceilidh’d to De Dannan

And the voice of sweet Dolores warmed the air

There I le’rned of Ireland’s history from the singing of ould Christy

I was proud to tell my fri’nds that I was there

When next year I went back I fell in love with Mary Black

As her “Song for Ireland” nearly curled my hair

Then I joined the clapping hand to the singing’f the Sands

I was proud to tell my friends that I was there.

                                                                        Danny Kyle verse above from his ballad "The Glasgow Pub Run to Ballyshannon"

Modern Times
It is a credit to all who have worked at this community event that all their efforts have seen it complete an incredible 42 years. Ballyshannon's niche as a cultural centre for music, drama and history etc. is something to be proud of. In the past few years The Folk Festival after a number of successful years in the Abbey Arts Centre decided to go back to its roots and bring the Marquee once again to the Market Yard where it had its origins. As you can see in the modern photograph the Marquee has proved very popular with both the visitors and the locals. In the modern era of the Wild Atlantic Way the festival helps to keep Ireland on the map worldwide. In recent years the festival has blended a mixture of traditional and contemporary music to suit a wide range of tastes. Long may it continue.

A capacity crowd in the new Marquee in its old home in the Market Yard

           Ballyshannon Folk Festival Programme 2019. Well Done to all for 42 Years of
Community Involvement

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